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First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Also called Maintenance Foreman, Maintenance Manager, Maintenance Supervisor, or Service Manager

What First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers do

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. May also advise customers on recommended services. Excludes team or work leaders.

Who tends to enjoy it

Leading

People who like persuading, selling, starting things, and taking charge.

Organizing

People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.

Hands-on

People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.

What you'd actually do

  • Inspect, test, and measure completed work, using devices such as hand tools or gauges to verify conformance to standards or repair requirements.
  • Inspect and monitor work areas, examine tools and equipment, and provide employee safety training to prevent, detect, and correct unsafe conditions or violations of procedures and safety rules.
  • Interpret specifications, blueprints, or job orders to construct templates and lay out reference points for workers.
  • Monitor employees' work levels and review work performance.
  • Perform skilled repair or maintenance operations, using equipment such as hand or power tools, hydraulic presses or shears, or welding equipment.
  • Compute estimates and actual costs of factors such as materials, labor, or outside contractors.
  • Monitor tool and part inventories and the condition and maintenance of shops to ensure adequate working conditions.
  • Requisition materials and supplies, such as tools, equipment, or replacement parts.

A typical day involves

Face-to-face with people Email Part of a team

Skills that matter most

  • Monitoring
  • Management of Personnel Resources
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Coordination
  • Judgment and Decision Making

What you'll need to know

  • Administration and Management
  • Mechanical
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Administrative
  • Personnel and Human Resources

Where to study for this

College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.

  • Operations Management and Supervision 240 colleges
  • Lineworker 92 colleges
  • Electrical and Power Transmission Installation / Installer 83 colleges
  • Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology / Technician 33 colleges
  • High Performance and Custom Engine Technician / Mechanic 14 colleges
  • Mechanics and Repairers 20 colleges
  • Energy Systems Installation and Repair Technology / Technician 6 colleges
  • Wind Energy System Installation and Repair Technology / Technician 4 colleges

Related careers

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First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.

Medium preparation

Construction and Extraction

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.

Medium preparation

Office and Administrative Support

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.

Medium preparation

Farming, Fishing, and Forestry

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers.

Medium preparation

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 49-1011.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.